Thanks to Dorothy Nobles’ family, “Mama Natalie,” a new
birthing simulator, has come to Victoria College.

When retired vocational nurse Dorothy Nobles passed away
last summer, many of the friends and family who attended her memorial left a
monetary donation in her honor. Her family, including husband Jerry Nobles,
chose to give her memorial donations to the Victoria College Foundation with
the stipulation that the money be used for VC’s Vocational Nursing program.

“My wife worked as a Licensed Vocational Nurse for 35 years,”
said Nobles. “She retired in 1997, but she always loved nursing and I couldn’t
think of a better place to send the contributions.”

According to VN Program Coordinator Becky Barfield, choosing
how to spend the donation was challenging at first.

“When I approached the program faculty about how to spend
the money, it was unanimously decided that we should use the Nobles donation on
a reusable resource,” said Barfield, “but no one knew exactly what we should
get.”

After asking around for ideas among colleagues at a recent
Texas Association of Vocational Nursing Educators conference she attended, the
Mama Natalie Birthing Simulator was recommended to Barfield.

Manufactured by Laederal, the portable Mama Natalie Birthing
Simulator gives students hands-on practice in assessing the stages of labor,
along with how to deliver and care for a newborn infant. Additionally, a range
of birthing complications may be simulated, allowing students to practice
handling emergency situations.

Nursing Instructor Kristi Pfeil plans to begin using the
Mama Natalie simulator in her classes this semester.

“I’m excited to use Mama Natalie in my classes this
semester,” said Pfeil. “But because this simulator is portable, when we finish
neonatal training here in Victoria, we can send it around to the vocational
nursing classes at VC’s other locations in Cuero, Hallettsville and Gonzales.”

Angie Loa, one of Pfeil’s students, is looking forward to her
neonatal training later in the semester.

“I’m amazed at how compact this training equipment is, while
still offering such a range of simulation possibilities,” said Loa.

Additionally, Nobles’ gift will go well beyond helping
future nurses in Victoria. For each Mama Natalie Birthing Simulator purchased
for use in the United States through 2012, Laederal will donate another Mama
Natalie Birthing Simulator to global health programs in developing countries.
Such countries as Africa and India still experience high infant and maternal
mortality rates due to a lack of training for health care workers.